Educational device for teaching blocking in football

ABSTRACT

A football practice blocking sled having a pair of ground engaging runners for slidingly supporting a simulated human body blocking dummy. In addition to the ground engaging runners, the support structure includes an upward and rearwardly extending frame portion; a vertically extending half-leaf spring member attached adjacent its lower end to the rearward portion of the frame portion, and a substantially L-shaped, elastic dummy reinforcing frame element attached adjacent the upper end of the half-leaf spring member. The dummy body being constructed from essentially a thick foam rubber material.

United States Patent [1 1 Parker Sept. 23, 1975 EDUCATIONAL DEVICE FOR TEACHING BLOCKING IN FOOTBALL [76] Inventor: Robert Earl Parker, 4410 W Fourth St., l-lattiesburg, Miss. 39401 22 Filed: Feb. 27, 1974 21 Appl.N0.: 446,419

[52] US. Cl 273/55 R [51] Int. Cl. A6313 67/00 [58] Field of Search 273/55 A, 55 R; 272/76, 272/77 [56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,708,638 4/1929 Smith 273/55 R 1,906,693 5/1933 Loughlin 273/55 R 3,684,283 8/1972 Forrest 273/55 R OTHER PUBLlCATlONS Gilman Gear-Football equipment-195 8, p. 21.

Primary Examiner-Richard J. Apley Assistant Examiner-T. Brown Attorney, Agent, or Firm--George R. Douglas, Jr.

[ ABSTRACT A football practice blocking sled having a pair of ground engaging runners for slidingly supporting a simulated human body blocking dummy. In addition to the ground engaging runners, the support structure includes an upward and rearwardly extending frame portion; a vertically extending half-leaf spring member attached adjacent its lower end to the rearward portion of the frame portion, and a substantially L- shaped, elastic dummy reinforcing frame element attached adjacent the upper end of the half-leaf spring member. The dummy body being constructed from essentially a thick foam rubber material.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 1 of2 3,907,291

FIG. 2

US Patent Sept. 23,1975 Sheet 2 of2 3,907,291

FIG. 3

found in,t he Pa tent OfficeClassification of Class,,2"Z2, subclasses 59, 76 and 82; and Class 273, subclasses $5..

and 94; namely, as follows:., T.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In known prior art devices and system of teaching and training for tactics incident to the play of football, the devices are constructed on skids, slides or sleds and usually have a body element for engaging with the player-trainee. None of these teach that the player-trainee should necessarily perform the entire blocking action as contemplated in the present invention.

An important object and advantage of the present invention over other blocking sleds is that its blocking surface is shaped like the opponent one may be hitting in an actual game contest.

Other blocking sleds have flat surfaces which in no way simulate what has to be hit in an actual football contest.

Another object and advantage of the device is that it is for teaching defensive charge shoulder-to-shoulder action, bringing forearm up into the opponents chest as well as offensive blocking. In blocking, the blocker will have to drive under the shoulder area of the invention device so as to hit the hip and thigh areajust as one does in blocking a live opponent.

Another object of the invention is that it provides a sled that is light in weight to allow for fast followthrough leg action after the block.

A further object of the invention is to provide for the invention device to be built to look like an opposing lineman from his knees up, and thus is found to be a far superior teaching device than those normally used in ones coaching experience.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a generally perspective view of an educational game teaching device for teaching football blocking according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIGv 2 is a front elevational view of the invention showing the educational game teaching device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 2;

FlGZ 4'is'a'top plan view on an enlarged scale of the, device shown in FIGSJ2 and 3 and showing the-.best

Referring now to the 'drawings-there is shown and illustrated an educationaltrainingdevice orapparatus IOfor-teachi'ng theart oftblocking in :football, and in= cludes sled structure .or frame12 of quite conventional arrangements and construction havinga pair'of longitudinal members 14,14" extending to'suppo'rt sled means orskids 16,16'disposed-as a supporting channel iron skid element adapted to allow movement in a forward-vdirection 20.- There-is disposedon the other -'or'- rear end ofthe sled-frame I2 a'bracket or brace means 2-4 in -supportive r'elation'from the sled frame 12.- At the end of the brace means 2'4is a'rear surface portion 26 asshown in FIGJG'.

'In the S owing of FIG.'3 and'FIG. '4- there 'is illus-- trated thstructuralsupport for a simulated player or body portion having a frame element 32,34 and a frame element braces or struts 36,36, (FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) to hold and maintain the body portion 30 with some degree of rigidity. On the frame element 32,34 is a massive layer of foam rubber padding 40 or other elastomeric material covering rearwardly and downwardly of said frame element, and having a strength covering material 44 over said foam rubber padding and being laced or secured thereon in a conventional manner of a stretched covering used for such purposes.

The body portion 30 extends into several areas so that there is a portion having a simulated helmet and head area 48; a shoulder pads area 50,50; a chest area 52; and a thigh area 54. These said several areas are so arranged and constructed to resemble a size and shape of a football lineman or other position player in football.

There is seen a supporting means in partial resilient manner as is described below for holding the body portion 30 in suspended relation from the sled frame 12, including a half-leaf spring means 64 mounted from the end of the spring by pivot 66. The bolts 68,68 secure the body portion 30 onto the half-leaf spring means 64 and a spring leaf brace and clamp arrangement (FIG. 3) keeps the spring means 64 in essentially a substantially vertical relation to the sled frame.

Interpositioned between the rear surface portion 26 and the half-leaf spring means 64 is a rubber or other 'elastomeric material acting as a restraining means tending to act as a hard rubber member to cause reboundment of the half-leaf spring means 30 when one such as player 84,84 strikes or impacts himself against the teaching device or apparatus 10.

It is seen that by the means of the present invention that the blocking area of body portion 30 simulates an opposing lineman. No other sled and teaching device is found to accomplish these results for teaching defensive charge by striking the shoulder area with ones shoulder and bringing ones forearm up and into the chest area. In teaching blocking one would have to drive under the shoulder area to hit the thigh and hip areajust as in blocking a live man. On all known prior art type sleds, one hits a flat surface that in no way simulates what happens when in actual play.

Additional embodiments of the invention in this specification will occur to others and therefore it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodiment described hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An improved educational teaching device for teaching blocking of opposing linemen in football games comprising upward and rearwardly extending sled frame portions terminating in a rear end portion, said sled frame being supported at its lower end by channel iron skids adapted to allow movement in a forward direction and having restraining means supported from the rear end of the sled frame terminating in a rear surface portion, half-leaf spring means mounted essentially vertically to the sled frame rear end portion and from said restraining means and having a portion of a surface of said half-leaf spring means for engaging upon said rear surface portion, a body portion mounted on said half-leaf spring means and having a simulated helmet and head area, shoulder pads area. chest area and thigh area arranged and constructed to resemble a football player, a frame element secured from said halfleaf spring means that reinforces the body portion and extends essentially horizontally between the helmet area and the thigh area thereof.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein elastomeric means is interposed between said half-leaf spring means and the rear end portion of said restraining means.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein a brace and clamp assembly supports said half-leaf spring means in a generally vertical relation to the sled frame.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said body portion is constructed of essentially a thick foam rubber padding covering rearwardly and downwardly of said frame element, and a strength covering material for said foam rubber padding being laced thereover for shaping the body portion in the form of and shape of an opposing lineman. 

1. An improved educational teaching device for teaching blocking of opposing linemen in football games comprising upward and rearwardly extending sled frame portions terminating in a rear end portion, said sled frame being supported at its lower end by channel iron skids adapted to allow movement in a forward direction and having restraining means supported from the rear end of the sled frame terminating in a rear surface portion, half-leaf spring means mounted essentially vertically to the sled frame rear end portion and from said restraining means and having a portion of a surface of said half-leaf spring means for engaging upon sAid rear surface portion, a body portion mounted on said half-leaf spring means and having a simulated helmet and head area, shoulder pads area, chest area and thigh area arranged and constructed to resemble a football player, a frame element secured from said half-leaf spring means that reinforces the body portion and extends essentially horizontally between the helmet area and the thigh area thereof.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein elastomeric means is interposed between said half-leaf spring means and the rear end portion of said restraining means.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein a brace and clamp assembly supports said half-leaf spring means in a generally vertical relation to the sled frame.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein said body portion is constructed of essentially a thick foam rubber padding covering rearwardly and downwardly of said frame element, and a strength covering material for said foam rubber padding being laced thereover for shaping the body portion in the form of and shape of an opposing lineman. 